The End of the Century Brings a Change
by leyton-is-lovee
Summary: Peyton can feel the dread and guilt and everything else bubbling up in her and she’s trying her very hardest not to let it escape. Brooke looks at her and feels all the same things; the guilt and the anguish. She wants it all to end.Follow-up to Delicate


**I still don't own it, just like I don't own "Amie" by Damien Rice.**

So, I'm clearly still in love with Damien. I'm flipping with the idea of a fourth part, but I seriously don't know about it yet. For now, this is it!

I am writing the next chapter for **Love Remains the Same**, but I'm not done yet, so I can't say when it'll be updated.

Enjoy!

* * *

_Nothing unusual, nothing strange, close to nothing at all  
The same old scenario, the same old rain, and there's no explosions here  
Then something unusual, something strange comes from nothing at all  
I saw a spaceship fly by your window, did you see it disappear?_

They keep the divorce a secret.

It's not exactly something either of them wants to spread around their small town so Brooke gets a lawyer who's based in New York and they do all their meetings through conference calls. It shouldn't surprise Lucas that Brooke handles everything so efficiently and business like.

But it kind of does.

He knows he has no right, but he wishes she was a little hurt by this. Granted he knows Brooke, and she's more then likely busying herself with this and the new launch of her clothing line, but still. A little pain would be comforting.

Neither of them tells their partner. Nathan and Peyton have no idea that Lucas and Brooke are ending things and for right now they want things to stay that way. They've both wanted to be free for so long, but that freedom is scary because it's one step closer to getting everything they've wanted for so long.

And it's one step closer to ruing everything they've built up for years.

He walks down the stairs one morning to find Brooke sitting at the kitchen table with the newspaper and a red marker in her hand. He runs his hand through his already disheveled hair and then rubs his eyes.

"There's coffee in the pot", she mumbles without looking up. He mumbles some form of thanks and sets off in the direction of the caffeinated liquid. "I'm looking at apartments", she says suddenly.

His eyes widen and he pours some milk into his coffee before sitting across from her at the small table.

"Why?" she looks at him incredulously and he laughs. "Brooke, you shouldn't have to leave", he mumbles and sips the hot liquid.

"I know, but I was thinking of someplace outside of Tree Hill", she says softly. It's the first time she's said the words aloud and therefore it's the first time he's hearing this.

Naturally he's shocked.

"Really?"

Brooke nods. "Yeah, I mean, I'm trying to get Clothes over Bros back to where it was and I need to do that from a more populated area. I was thinking New York", she says after a beat of silence.

Brooke doesn't say that she's hoping Nathan will be able to find excuses to escape town every few weeks and they can spend weekends together in her townhouse apartment with its amazing view of Central Park. Maybe he'll even break things off with Peyton and they can live there together.

Maybe she's getting a little ahead of herself.

"Wow", Lucas breathes out. "If that's what you feel you need to do", he says over the rim of his mug; he's trying to stop his smirk.

If Brooke moves and Peyton leaves Nathan, she and Lucas can be together and everything would be fine. They could stay in Tree Hill and live the life they always wanted.

Or they could move somewhere else and still live the life they always wanted.

Because they'd be together.

"It is", she says with a nod. There's a stretch of silence until she says. "So, the papers should be here in about a week."

Lucas' eyes widen. "Isn't that kind of fast?"

Brooke shrugs. "My guys good", Lucas chuckles. "Plus, I figured you were kind of tired of sleeping in the guest room."

"It's actually not too bad", he counters. Brooke laughs and wonders how they can do this? They're divorcing each other after nearly five years of marriage and yet, they're so unbelievably okay around each other.

It's just another confirmation that this is the right thing.

"It's a Saturday, what are you going to do today?" she asks and sips her warm coffee. Lucas shrugs, although he knows exactly what he'll do.

He's going to change and then head to the school gym. He and Peyton will play a game of basketball and then they're retreat to his office to continue their physical activities for the day. When she leaves he'll open his laptop and continue to write.

He's always been interested in literature; he carried a book with him all throughout high school. But he's only recently started to write. He doesn't know how good it is and he hasn't shown anyone; doesn't know if he ever will. he doesn't even know if the premise is sellable.

It's about a boy and a comet.

"I'll probably just shoot some hoops", he says offhandedly. "What about you?"

Brooke shrugs, but she knows what she'll do. She'll shower after Lucas leaves and then she'll get a text from Nathan letting her know he's in his gym and that Peyton's at some art gallery for a few hours. She'll go over and they'll talk for a bit and then she'll help with his workout. When she leaves she'll kiss him goodbye and maybe this time she'll tell him she loves him.

No, no, she won't do that.

Its way too soon and with everything else that's going on, it wouldn't be right. That thought makes her laugh internally. She won't tell Nathan she loves him because it's not right, but she'll sleep with him anytime it's possible.

She's clearly got her priorities straight.

"I was going to go downtown and check out some fabric shops", she says noncommittally. Lucas nods and makes a comment about that being good for her. Brooke smiles; it certainly will be good for her.

They sit in silence while Brooke reads the paper and Lucas takes bites out of the bagel he took some time to toast. They can both sense that things are different and not in the obvious way; just something feels different.

Maybe it's the weight being lifted from their shoulders. They're getting divorced and they're going to be on their own in different places and hopefully with different people. That may not be the best thought to have, but it's at the forefront of both their minds.

Lucas takes his cell from his pocket and types out a quick message and then snaps his phone shut. A minute goes by and his phone buzzes atop the wooden table. Brooke looks at him quickly; wondering who in the world he's texting this early, but he smiles and tells her it's Skills.

She doesn't know he's lying.

Brooke nods and Lucas takes one last, large gulp of his coffee before heading upstairs to shower. Brooke keeps herself busy with the paper and the dishes and Lucas nods in her direction on his way out.

Ten minutes after he leaves, Brooke gets a text.

_Amie come sit on my wall and read me the story of O  
And tell it like you still believe that the end of the century  
Brings a change for you and me_

When Peyton answers her door one afternoon she's shocked to see her best friend on the other side. She'll always consider Brooke her best friend, but things have been drifting between them. Peyton _feels_ like Brooke's hiding something and Brooke _is_ hiding something.

Well two things really – the divorce and the sex with her husband.

"Hey P. Scott", she says cheerily, but the words kill her. Peyton smiles and hugs her close and Brooke holds on for dear life. This may be the last time she ever sees her blonde best friend.

"What brings you by B. Scott?" Peyton asks once they break apart; she pretends the last few words don't crush her soul. Brooke shrugs and tucks a strand of hair behind her ear.

"We just haven't had a chance to catch up lately", she says simply. It's the truth too. It's been far too long since they've sat down and talked about everything and nothing and the stupid little things that only best friends can.

"Well that's what happens when you're busy taking down the head bitch of a corporation", Peyton says and then winks. Brooke laughs and nods her head.

"Victoria definitely didn't go down easy", she mumbles. They walk down her hallway and it's like nothing's different. But it is different. It's different because Brooke isn't randomly stopping by like she used to.

She knew Nathan wouldn't be home.

He's rehabbing at a gym and she knows he's going to text her when he's done, so she's got some time. It's easier without him here, but everything is still connected to him. The pictures on the walls and some stupid pillow on the couch.

And in the kitchen there's a Duke magnet on the fridge.

Brooke wants this to be her fridge and she wants the pictures to have her in them and she wants to pout to Nathan about how the pillow clashes with her couch. But she can't and she probably never will.

"Do you want some tea?" Peyton asks with a smile. Brooke grins and nods her head; they always used to sip tea and gossip. She grabs the cookies out of the cabinet and sits at the table with excitement on her face.

She was nervous, at first, that this wouldn't be like it used to. But so far it's been normal; she just needs to stop thinking about Nathan. She picks up a cookie and nibbles it while Peyton puts two mugs on the table. She gets the milk out of the fridge and the sugar from the cabinet and then they're both sitting across from each other.

In silence.

"So, how are the art classes going so far?" Brooke asks with a small smile. Peyton rolls her eyes, but smiles.

"They're horny teenagers . . . remember what we were like at that age?" she mirrors Nathan's words from a few weeks earlier. Brooke makes a face.

"I certainly do, God help you", she teases. Peyton laughs and nods her head.

"Nathan's already threatened to beat them all up", she says with a smile. She does love that he's so protective, but it's totally unnecessary. Lucas would kill any of those teenage boys.

Brooke's smile tightens at the mention of Nathan. She wonders if this is what Peyton felt like in high school; when she and Lucas were sneaking around. Did she get the butterflies in her stomach at the mention of him? Did those butterflies turn to vomit at the mention of the two of them together? She doesn't know if what Lucas and Peyton had was love or lust or something in between, but if it was a fraction of what Brooke's feeling now, she feels terrible that her friend ever went through that.

"I know what you mean, I've been meeting with some people with available spaces and one guy was particularly creepy. Lucas demanded that I give him the address", she rolls her eyes and takes another cookie.

Peyton smiles, but doesn't feel the pangs that Brooke feels when the other boy is brought up. That's probably because after Lucas got the address he called her and they spent some time together in his vintage Mustang near the beach.

He never went to that address.

"Some problems we have, huh?" Peyton asks with a laugh. "Over protective husbands and jobs that are too good to us."

Brooke nods and her lips form a tight smile. If only Peyton knew the real problems that loomed beneath the surface of the smiles and laughs. When Nathan and Brooke casually hug or bump hands shocks of electricity flow through them.

Peyton does know, because it's the same way with her and Lucas.

Peyton takes a few cookies and pours herself some more tea. They make small talk about the kids in her classes and the buyers Brooke's met with. Silences linger in the air, but they aren't as uncomfortable as they should be.

Or maybe they are and neither girl wants to admit that.

The brunette clears her throat and takes a sip of her now lukewarm tea. The afternoon has been pretty great so far, but she's feeling worse then ever about the way things are. Even if it's all unknown between them, things can never be the same and she doesn't think she can keep up the façade.

"Do you think it's possible to love two people at once?" Brooke questions softly as she sips her tea. Peyton looks at her and pauses. This conversation could go one of two ways and both of them would hurt her in the end. Regardless, she looks at her best friend and nods.

"I do", she whispers. "But I also think that if that ever happens, you always love one of them a little more", she stops to think about her situation and adds, "Maybe _a lot_ more."

"Yeah, I think so too", she whispers dejectedly.

Peyton can feel the dread and guilt and everything else bubbling up in her and she's trying her very hardest not to let it escape. It just sucks that everything is wrapped up into a lie. Brooke looks at her and feels all the same things; the guilt and the anguish. She wants it all to end.

Then at the same time, they both spoke the words neither is ready to hear;

"I'm sleeping with your husband."

_Nothing unusual, nothing's changed, just a little older that's all  
You know when you've found it, there's something I've learned  
'Cause you feel it when they take it away, hey, hey, hey  
_

"You bastard!"

Lucas drops the paper he's reading and takes his feet off the coffee table. He stares at his wife with confusion and hurt in his eyes. What the Hell is she yelling at him for? Brooke laughs bitterly and shakes her head.

"Don't give me that look!" she screams. "How long?"

Lucas instantly knows what she's talking about.

"Brooke, I –"

"I don't want some bullshit answer that you've practiced! I want the truth! For once, give me the truth, Lucas Scott", she's yelling and she's scary, but her voice cracks and her eyes water and he knows she's breaking.

Lucas looks down and shakes his head. He doesn't _really_ know how long, but it's been a while. He does the math in his head quickly. He almost doesn't want to answer.

"Well?" she asks and impatiently taps her foot against their hardwood floors. "Cat got your tongue?"

"A year", he says without hesitation after her taunting. Her mouth drops, but not entirely because she's surprised at the length. She and Nathan have been . . . _whatevering_, for nearly as long.

"Unbelievable", she mutters. "I really thought the two of you grew up", she spits out at him. His eyes harden and he shakes his head.

"What about you, Brooke?"

"What about me?" she asks defensively, but she's incredibly nervous. He folds his arms over his chest and raises a brow.

"You haven't cried _once_! Any normal wife would cry over the fact that her marriage is ending!" he yells angrily.

The look he saw that night, many months ago, comes to the forefront of his mind. He watches as Brooke bites her lip in the way she always does when she has something she needs to say.

"Do you have something you want to tell me?" he asks and takes a step in her direction. Brooke narrows her eyes and keeps her tough exterior up.

"Don't worry, Lucas. I'm not sleeping with your _best friend_", she says in disgust. Lucas smirks and lets out a humorless laugh.

"It's not my best friend I'm worried about", he says simply. "How's my _brother_?"

Her mouth drops and if she was any closer she'd smack him – half for dramatics and half because he's figured things out. She folds her arms over herself and shakes her head.

"What are you talking about?" she asks in a quiet voice. Lucas rolls his eyes.

"Oh come on, Brooke. Don't pull the innocent act with me!" he says and steps towards her.

"Lucas, I –"

"And the tangled web we've all weaved finally snaps", he says to himself. "I just don't understand how you could do it", he says and shakes his head.

"You wouldn't even look at me!"

"Can you blame me?" he questions loudly. "You drank and popped pills till you were comatose. That's not exactly something I wanted to be a part of."

She doesn't want to lose him. She doesn't want to lose his advice or his support. She wants to walk away from this with at least some confirmation that things won't snowball even worse then they already have.

"It started off as nothing", she whispers. "We needed each other and we were weak . . . Lucas, I – I lo –"

"Don't", Lucas whispers. He may be glad that their marriage is over, but he's pretty confident that he'll never want to hear that she's in love with his brother. "I just think it's absurd that you tried to pin this all on me!"

"It is on you! You still slept with my best friend!" she cries out. Her hands are flying all over the place and Lucas doesn't think he's ever seen her so worked up.

"You're sleeping with my brother!" he cries indignantly. "You made a comment about how Peyton and I didn't grow up, but you're no different."

"Okay, that's so not –"

"It is the same thing. It's the very same thing! We're both sleeping with other people and they both happen to be married!"

The way he words it is no different then the ways Brooke's said it in her head or the way Nathan used to yell it to her after they'd slept together. They're all very much married and that hit's Brooke like a tone of bricks. They're all so broken in their different ways.

"Lucas, I don't know what you want me to say?!" she screams from across the room. He looks at her and places one hand on his hip while his other pinches the bridge of his nose. There really isn't anything left to say. They're over, long over and it's been years in the making.

"I'm . . . I can't –", he trails off and walks to the door. Brooke follows his movements with her eyes and her mouth drops. He pulls the door open, but Brooke's voice stops him for a minute.

"Go ahead Lucas, walk out!" she screams. He stops in the open doorway and looks at her with a look she can't decipher.

"Go ahead and fuck my brother, Brooke!" he yells in return and then slams the door shut behind him. Brooke runs to the door and locks all the locks she has before resting her back against it.

That's when the tears fall.

She can't really believe what just happened. Their perfectly oblivious life has cracked and crumbled and gone up in smokes. In a matter of minutes she's lost her husband and her best friend; two people that mean the world to her.

But she gets Nathan.

Why doesn't she feel more validation with that?

_  
Something unusual, something strange comes from nothing at all  
But I'm not a miracle and you're not a saint  
Just another soldier on the road to nowhere  
_

"Honey, I'm home!" Nathan says with a cheeky smile.

He closes the door behind him and puts the basketball on the floor near the couch. It's quiet which is odd because she's Peyton and she lives for music. He furrows his brows and walks through his dark house.

He flicks the light on in the kitchen and is shocked to see Peyton sitting there in the dark. "What are you doing?" he asks with a laugh.

She doesn't answer him. She simply sits in the kitchen chair and folds her arms over her chest. Nathan raises his brows at her protective stance. What the Hell happened?

"Baby what –"

"Do we have separate pet names?" she asks coldly.

Nathan instantly knows what she's talking about.

"Peyton I –"

She stands from the chair and walks to the other side of the kitchen. "Nathan, save me the typical charm and bullshit answers!"

He flinches when she screams and curses and then she slams her hand flat against the marble countertops. He's worried she hurt herself, especially when she cradles her hand in the other.

"Let me", he says and starts to approach her. She steps back from him and his heart breaks a little.

"Don't touch me", she whispers brokenly. "After everything we've been through, you're willing to just throw it away?"

He doesn't have the words to speak so he simply hangs his head. A part of him wishes he could lie and say that it was only one time and that it meant _nothing_, but he can't say that about him and Brooke and not just because it was more then once.

Because it means _everything_.

"I don't . . . I don't know what you want me to say", he whispers with his head still bowed. Peyton shakes her head and swallows back the lump in her throat.

She's not too sure why she's so upset. She and Lucas can finally get everything they've wanted for years, but here she is crying over another man. But it's a man she's spent years with. She's built dreams with and talked children with. And it's ending.

On the worst possible note.

"I don't really think there's anything you can say", she whispers and her voice cracks sporadically.

"Peyton, I didn't mean for this to happen", he whispers. She looks at him and laughs without any actual humor in her voice.

"I thought you changed! I thought you were different from the tool you were in high school. God Nathan! Will you ever grow up?" she asks in defeat.

His eyes turn hard and he stands a little straighter. She's getting awfully high up on this horse of hers. He takes a few steps over to her and Peyton feels her panic rise. She's not afraid that he'll hurt her, but she's afraid he'll say something.

"And what about you?" he questions with a low, angry voice. "Have you grown up? Or are you still pining for my older brother?"

"Leave him out of this", she grumbles. "This is about you and Brooke and the marriage that we no longer have" she says with a strong voice and positive eyes. Nathan flinches at the mention of their dead marriage, but doesn't let it show.

In natural Nathan tradition he stands strong and continues with his tirade, "Oh come on Peyton, I'm not stupid", he growls.

"Could have fooled me", she quips with a glare. "Screwing two girls at once", she says in disgust. "Dan would be proud."

Nathan's hand slams against the closest flat surface and Peyton jerks back in shock. Okay, that may have been a little too much. She opens her eyes and looks at him and wishes she never did. It's obvious that comment hurt him.

"Don't . . . _don't_ compare me to him", he warns. He's thought it in recent weeks; that he's more like his father then he'd like to admit. "You're no saint, Peyton."

She's tired of arguing with him and she's tired of lying. She bows her head and bites her bottom lip and Nathan knows this won't be good. She's never told him good news when she bites her lip.

"I'm sleeping with Lucas", she whispers so softly that he has to ask her to repeat it. "I'm sleeping with Lucas", she says in a much louder, stronger voice.

His mouth drops and his hands clench. His brother and his wife have been sleeping together. They've been spending intimate time together that he hasn't even spent with Peyton in a very long time.

Brooke was right.

He knows he was just alluding to her feeling things for his brother, but to hear it is soul crushing. They've been sleeping together and it's probably all his fault. If he hadn't taken such a dark road after his accident Peyton wouldn't have needed to find comfort in another place. She wouldn't have gone to his brother and they wouldn't have slept together.

But then he wouldn't have Brooke.

Why doesn't he feel more validation in that?

"Wha . . . when – how long?" he stutters over his words until he finds one he needs an answer to. Peyton bows her head and does the math, Nathan got into his accident and then he refused to do rehab, he started drinking shortly after that . . .

"A year, maybe a little longer", she whispers. He runs his hand through his dark hair and lets out a breath of air that Peyton can't really decipher. He's trying to calculate how long he and Brooke have been doing the same thing.

It's only off by a few months.

"Nathan, it started out as two lonely people –"

"Don't insult my intelligence that much", he whispers as he shakes his head. "Did you ever love me?" he asks brokenly.

Peyton tilts her head to the ceiling and blinks furiously; she needs to stop her tears. She never thought that this would be so hard so that they would come to such a crossroads with each other. She really never envisioned them ending like this.

"I do love you, Nathan", she whispers and she does. Nathan was a lot of firsts for her; serious boyfriend, sex, marriage, baby talk. And he was her first love . . . he just isn't her first _great love_. "But I'm in lo –"

"Don't", he growls out with shining eyes. Their marriage may clearly be over, but he doesn't think he'll ever want to hear that she's in love with his brother. He runs his hand over his face and then tugs at his dark locks.

Peyton doesn't know what else there is to say. They're over. They've cheated and they love other people and they're just _over_. Her eyes dart around the kitchen and then she makes a dash for the front door.

"Where are you going?" he asks, hot on her tail. "Peyton Elizabeth Sc –" his sentence stops short and he feels the wind get knocked out of him. She won't be a Scott for much longer.

Or maybe she'll become someone else's Scott.

He snaps back to focus when he hears the front door open. "We're not done talking!" he yells. Peyton whirls around in the open doorway and glares at him – she doesn't know where the burst of anger comes from.

"Talk to Brooke!"

And she slams the door behind her.

_  
Amie come sit on my wall and read me the story of O  
And tell it like you still believe that the end of the century  
Brings a change for you and me_

He bounces the orange ball against the tarmac he knows so well. The Rivercourt has always been a place of solace and he hopes that never fades. Right now all he wants to do is clear his mind and lose himself in the game.

He stands at the imaginary foul line and dribbles a few times. Then he bends his knees and flicks his wrists and the ball soars through the air. He closes his eyes right before the sweet _swish_ hits his ears.

"Nice shot", a voice calls out to him. Lucas smiles and spins around to see the blonde that he loves with his whole heart.

"Nice legs", he says appreciatively as he looks at her jeans. They're his favorite ones; they've got a hole in the knee. "What's wrong?" he asks as soon as he sees her cradling her hand.

"Nothing", she whimpers and shakes her head. Lucas narrows his eyes; that would be more convincing if she wasn't crying.

"Did he . . . did he hurt you?" he can feel his blood turn cold at the thought of Nathan putting his hands on her and he's ready to kick his ass that instant.

"No! No, baby", she assures him with a gentle smile. "At least not physically", she quips sadly. Lucas nods and takes her other hand. He guides them to the metal bleachers; his basketball long forgotten in the grass.

"Can you believe it?" he asks mutedly. Peyton shakes her head and then leans against his shoulder. "This whole time they've been doing the same thing as us."

He wraps his arm around her and holds her close against the crook of his body. He can hear her mumble something, but he doesn't know what she's really saying. His free hand happens to be his left hand and he reaches over to hold her left hand.

Their wedding rings catch the moonlight.

Peyton pulls her hand away and Lucas can feel his panic rise. She can't honestly be freezing him out _now_. They're so close, so damn close to the finish line. They just have one or two more hurdles to overcome.

"At least we can be together now", he whispers. She tenses in his arms and Lucas closes his eyes. This isn't going to be good. "Right?' he pries.

"Luke", and there's something about the tone of her voice that lets him know he's wrong. Very, very wrong. "Lucas, I think –"

"Don't do this", he whispers with his eyes still closed. Peyton maneuvers out of his arms and scoots away from him. Her wedding rings scrape against the metal; it's taking everything in her to not take them off and throw them in the river.

"I just think that we need some time", she whispers like a little child. His eyes snap open and he turns to look at her. The strength of his gaze makes her stand and walk a few feet away.

"_Time_? The past _year_ hasn't been enough _time_?" he asks bitterly and he follows after her. "The past _five years_ haven't been enough _time_?" he yells across the court. "This is exactly like high school all over again", he mumbles, but she hears him perfectly.

Peyton's eyes narrow and she whips her head around so fast, Lucas thinks she gets whiplash. "You mean like when I needed some time after you confessed to _wanting everything with me_", she mockingly quotes their junior year moment. "But then suddenly wanted everything with my best friend?!"

"You know th –"

"'Cause if it is, should I wait a few days and then walk into your room expecting to find Brooke there again, or will it be some other whore?" she asks snidely.

"You shouldn't exactly call Brooke a whore, Peyton. Kind of like a pot calling a kettle black", before either of them can blink, Peyton's hand against Lucas' skin is echoing in the night.

"How _fucking_ dare you", she whispers. There's a beat of silence where they both regret their actions. "I need time to figure out who I am, Lucas", she whispers with tears in her eyes.

Of course he knew that's what she meant, but it still makes wince to hear it. For so long Peyton's been the person other people wanted her to be, she needs to be the person _she _wants to be; she wants to make a name for _herself_. And he gets that . . . he was the bastard son of Dan Scott.

"I've spent so long being the arm candy of Nathan Scott that I don't know anything else and I just . . . I want to be the best possible person for you and for me and for us", she whispers.

He nods his head. "I know, I know . . . I'm sorry", he whispers and approaches her carefully. When she's close enough, he reaches out and wraps his arms around her waist; hers lock around his neck.

"Maybe I'll look into music or I'll go back to school for a different degree . . . I don't really know, but I know that I need to make some changes", she whispers against his t-shirt covered chest.

Lucas kisses the top of her head and breathes in her scent. "Whatever you decide to do you'll be amazing at. You've got all this greatness inside of you, Peyt", he whispers meaningfully.

"You're amazing, you know that?" she asks and lifts her head to look at him. He smirks and the twinkle in her eyes shines like the stars above them.

"Baby girl, _I_ know . . . I'm just glad you think so", he teases and when she giggles he feels the air around them lighten. She quiet for a minute and Lucas knows she's about to get serious again.

"This doesn't mean I don't want you, Luke. Because I do, I want you _so_ bad", she says and she pulls him a little closer for added emphasis. "I just need to find the girl you fell in love with", she whispers.

"She's right in front of me", Lucas responds without missing a beat. Peyton smiles halfheartedly and shakes her head. "You do _whatever_ you need to do for _yourself_, Peyton", he says without any malice or double meanings.

"But just know that this isn't it, okay? This isn't an ending for us", she says with tears in her eyes. "We've fought too hard and waited too long and . . ." she trails off and swallows back a lump in her throat. "Someday", she whispers.

Lucas squeezes her against his body and she rests her forehead against his shoulder. His fingers lift the hem of her shirt and he traces patters against her lower back in a comforting manner. He'll wait for her . . . he'll wait forever if he has to. He opens his mouth and breathes out;

"_Someday_."

_And Amie come sit on my wall and read me the story of O  
And tell it like you still believe that the end of the century  
Brings a change for you and me_

* * *

Let me know what you think!


End file.
